Direct suction tracheotomy tube



June 19, 1962 J. G. FOUNTAIN DIRECT SUCTION TRACHEOTOMY TUBE Filed May9, 1960 Josephine 6 Fountain ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofilice3,039,469 Patented June 19, 1962 3,039,469 DIRECT SUCTION TRACHEOTOMYTUBE Josephine G. Fountain, Gainesville, Fla. (Box 37, 419 W. 114th St.,New York 25, NY.) Filed May 9, 1960, Ser. No. 27,784 4 Claims. (Cl.128351) The present invention relates to a surgical appliance, and moreparticularly to a tracheotomy tube.

Tracheotomy tubes, for example as described in U.S. Patent No. 2,765,792to Edgar B. Nichols, generally comprise a curved outer cannula tube witha throat plate secured to the outer end thereof, and a curved innercannula tube which fits within the outer cannula tube and protrudes fromthe outer end thereof. The throat plate has a strap attached thereto. Inuse, the outer cannula tube is inserted into the base of the throat of aperson who for some reason has had his respiratory function impaired. Itis common practice to make a slit at the base of the throat of theafilicted person through which the outer cannula tube is inserted untilthe throat plate comes against the outer surface of the neck. The innercannula tube is then inserted into the outer cannula tube with the outerend of the inner cannula tube open. Air may then be drawn into thethroat and expelled therefrom through the inner tube. The inner tube maybe removed for cleaning without it being necessary to remove the outertube.

The situation which frequently occurs, however, is that mucoussecretions either partially or completely block the inner cannula tube.When a patient is particularly subject to such blockages, for examplewhen he is hospitalized with a respiratory infection, it has heretoforebeen the practice to insert a suction tube into the inner cannula tube,sliding it down the inside of this tube. While this is fairly effectiveinsofar as creating a suction effect, it reduces the cross section ofthe inner cannula tube which is available for conducting airtherethrough, and very frequently creates a feeling of insecurity in thepatient, and often makes breathing more difficult.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedtracheotomy tube which enables direct suction to be applied thereto.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedtracheotomy tube in which access can be gained to the tube forintroducing gases other than air being breathed into the throat withoutreducing the effective diameter of the tube.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following description, taken together with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the tracheotomy tube according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled tracheotomytube;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inner cannula tube according to thepresent'invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tracheotomy tube according to thepresent invention arranged for suctioning; and v FIG. 5 is a perspectiveview of the tracheotomy tube according to the present invention arrangedfor suctioning and the administration of a gaseous anesthetic.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein the same referencenumerals indicate like parts throughout, there is shown a trachealdevice comprising an outer cannula tube 1 which is curved longitudinallyto conform to the shape of the outlet end of the trachea, and acorresponding curved inner cannula tube 3 which is insertable into theouter cannula tube 1 on mating relation therewith. The outer cannulatube 1 is adapted to be inserted into the trachea through an openingformed in the neck of a user. This is done in well known manner with theaid of a suitable pilot (not shown), after which the pilot is removed.The inner tube 3 is then inserted into the outer tube.

At its upper end the outer tube 1 is provided with a throat plate 7which is curved to conform to the shape of and fits against the neck ofthe user when the tube 1 is fully inserted into the trachea. The tube 1thus helps to conceal the incision or opening at the front of the neck.The plate 7 is provided with a pair of transverse slots 9 adjacent theends thereof. A neckband 11 connected to the plate 7 by means of a pairof retaining members 13, serves to retain the tube 1 in place. To permitthe user to turn his head freely while aifording him a maximum degree ofcomfort, the clips 13 are designed to provide a floating yet positive,connection to the plate 7. The neckband 11 can be coupled to the clips13 in any suitable manner.

For the major portion of its length, the internal diameter of the outertube 1 is just slightly larger than the external diameter of the innertube 3, as best seen in FIGURE 2, although this difference is somewhatexaggerated in this figure for the sake of clearness. Thus, the innertube is freely insert-able into the outer tube for this major lengthportion.

On the outer end of the inner cannula tube 3 is fixed a retaining plate19 which is abuttable against the throat plate 7. Retaining plate 19 hasa notch 20 therein, and on throat plate 7 is mounted a catch 21 which isengageable in said notch 20 for retaining said inner cannula tube 3 inposition in the outer cannula tube 1.

On the outer end of said inner cannula tube 3 is an airway tube 22. Theairway tube 22 extends past the retaining plate 19 and forms acontinuation of the inner cannula tube 3.

Joining the inner cannula tube 3 and the airway tube 22 which forms acontinuation thereof is a suction tube 23 which branches ofi from thejunction of the inner cannula tube and the airway tube at a small anglethereto, and curves gradually away from the airway tube 22. As seen inFIG. 2, the suction tube is in communication with saidinner cannula tubeand said airway tube.

The tracheotomy tube of the present invention can be made of any of thematerials usually used, such as sterling silver or silver plate,plastic, nylon or hard rubber, to name the most common.

In use, the outer cannula tube 1 is first inserted through the slit inthe base of the neck of the user into the lower portion of the throat,and the neckband 11 is secured to the clips 13 to hold the throat plate7 andthe outer cannula tube in place. The inner cannula tube 3 is theninsertedv into the outer cannula tube 1 until the retaining plate 19abuts the throat plate 7 The notch 20 is aligned with the catch 21 sothat the two engage when the plate 19 abuts the plate 7 thus preventingrelative rotation of the plates.

The suction tube 23 can now be connected, by means of a rubber orplastic tube, to a suctioning device, as shown in FIG. 4. In order toapply suction to the inner cannula tube 3, which may have mucoussecretions therein, the open end of the airway tube 22 is covered withthe finger on expiration, thus reducing the intake of air therethroug'h.The'force of the suction is then exerted on the inner cannula tube, thesecretions thereby being drawn through the suction tube out of the innercannula tube. It has been found that the wearer of the tracheotomy tubeof the present invention can himself learn to control the suction effectexerted on the inner cannula tube, thereby giving him greater confidencein his ability to continue breathing.

It is of course very easy to seize the airway tube 22 and pull the innercannula tube 3 and the associated airway tube 22 and suction tube 23completely out of the outer cannula tube 1 in order to remove secretionswhich cannot be easily suctioned out, or for normal cleaning.

Moreover, the tracheotomy tube according to the present invention can beutilized to administer anesthesia to patients. After it has beeninserted into the neck of the patient as described above, a tube havinga Y branch 25 is connected to the suction tube 23 by a short rubber orplastic tube, and a valve 26 and 27 are placed in the tube to eachbranch of the Y branch 25. One of the branches is connected to asuctioning device, while the other is connected to a source of gaseousanesthesia. By appropriate positioning of the valves, suctioning andanesthesia can be applied as desired to the patient. It is of coursepossible to use clamps on plain tubing rather than the valves as shown.

As thus set up, the tracheotomy tube according to the present inventioncan be used in operations requiring trachea suction, such as chestsurgery, cardiac surgery, brain surgery, etc. It can also be set up inthis or a similar manner for use in oxygen inhalation therapy, oxygenthen being substituted for the anesthesia, carbon dioxide inhalationtherapy to stimulate deep breathing,

mouth to tube breathing for emergency resuscitation, and Bennett valveinhalation therapy of a tracheotomy patient.

It will be seen that for all of these applications, the cross sectionalarea of the inner cannula tube 3 is not reduced by the passing downthrough it of a separate suction tube, or other tube for introducing agaseous material into the throat of the patient. Consequently the crosssectional area available for the intake of air to the patients lungs isnot reduced at any time, thereby giving him greater comiort and afeeling of greater security.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understoodfrom the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changesmay be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention orsacrificing its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described andillustrated in the drawings being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A direct suction tracheotomy tube comprising an outer cannula tube, athroat plate secured to one end of said outer cannula tube, an innercannula tube fitting snugly in said outer cannula tube, an airway tubeintegral with the end of said inner cannula tube extending past saidthroat plate in substantial alignment with said inner cannula tube andforming a continuation of said inner cannula tube, said airway tubehaving an opening only at the end thereof remote from said cannula tube,and a suction tube branching from said airway tube and said innercannula tube at the point where said airway tube joins said innercannula tube, said suction tube branching from said airway and innercannula tube at a small angle thereto and curving gradually awaytherefrom, and said suction tube being in communication with said airwaytube and said inner cannula tube.

2. A direct suction tracheotomy tube comprising a curved outer cannulatube, a throat plate secured to one end of said outer cannula tube, aninner cannula tube curved with the same curvature as said outer cannulatube and fitting snugly within said outer cannula tube, a retainingplate on one end of said inner cannula tube abuttable against saidthroat plate, means on said throat plate engageable with said retainingplate for retaining said inner cannula tube in place relative to saidouter cannula tube, an airway tube integral with the end of said innercannula tube extending past said retaining plate in substantialalignment with said inner cannula tube and forming a continuation ofsaid inner cannula tube, said airway tube having an opening only at theend thereof remote from said cannula tube, and a suction tube branchingfrom said airway tube and said inner cannula tube at the point wheresaid airway tube joins said inner cannula tube, said suction tubebranching from said airway and inner cannula tube at a small anglethereto and curving gradually away therefrom, and said suction tubebeing in communication with said airway tube and said inner cannulatube.

3. A direct suction tracheotomy tube comprising a curved outer cannulatube, a throat plate secured to one end of said outer cannula tube, aninner cannula tube curved with the same curvature as said outer cannulatube and fitting snugly within said outer cannula tube, a retainingplate on one end of said inner cannula tube abuttable against saidthroat plate and having a not-ch therein, a catch on said throat plateengageable in the notch in said retaining plate for retaining said innercannula tube in place relative to said outer cannula tube, an airwaytube integral with the end of said inner cannula tube extending pastsaid retaining plate in substantial alignment with said inner cannulatube and forming a continuation of said inner cannula tube, said airwaytube having an opening only at the end thereof remote from said cannulatube, and a suction tube branching from said airway tube and said innercannula tube at the point where said airway tube joins said innercannula tube, said suction tube branching from said airway and innercannula tube at a small angle thereto and curving gradually awaytherefrom, and said suction tube being in communication with said airwaytube and said inner cannula tube.

4. In a tracheotomy tube having a curved outer cannula tube with athroat plate secured to one end of it, the combination of an innercannula tube having a curva ture the same as the outer cannula tube andfittable snugly into said outer cannula tube, a retaining plate on oneend of said inner cannula tube abuttable against said throat plate, anairway tube integral with the end of said inner cannula tube extendingpast said retaining plate in substantial alignment with said innercannula tube and forming a continuation of said inner cannula tube, saidairway tube having an opening only at the end thereof remote from saidcannula tube, and a suction tube branching from said airway tube andsaid inner cannula tube at the point where said airway tube joins saidinner cannula tube, said suction tube branching from said airway andinner cannula tube at a small angle thereto and curving gradually awaytherefrom, and said suction tube being in communication with said airwaytube and said inner cannula tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,835,757 Burchett Dec. 8, 1931 2,584,450 n01: et al Feb. 5, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 216,569 Australia Sept. 13, 1957

